


The Mark

by hjea



Category: Firefly, Jeeves & Wooster
Genre: British Butlers, Gen, I Say, Shady Dealings, Whatto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-01
Updated: 2012-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-31 23:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/349498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hjea/pseuds/hjea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mal and Inara pick out their rather obvious mark on a job. Jeeves, however, thinks not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mark

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 09/20/08.

"There." Mal stopped winding through the stalls and gestured with his chin. "That's gotta be our guy."  
  
Inara cocked her head. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Inara, you ever seen anyone,  _anywhere_ , stick out of a crowd more?"  
  
She examined the man exclaiming excitedly in the middle of the muttering crowd, with bowler hat, walking stick and even a clean handkerchief poking out the breast pocket of his pressed suit.  
  
She sighed. "I suppose not."  
  
Mal nodded, only slightly smugly. “All right, so now you go do some distracting, and I’ll see if I can’t do what needs doing.”   
  
They both stepped forward.   
  
A tall man, from seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly slid out in front of them, blocking their chosen path. “I think  _not_ , sir.” He nodded at Inara, “Madam.”   
  
Mal’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what your problem is,  _sir_ , but my wife and I-“ He swung an arm around Inara’s shoulders. She elbowed him in the ribs. “-were just,  _oof_ , going to look at those charming vases over that-a-way.”   
  
“Indeed, sir.” The tall man didn’t seem to be moving, “and while I hate to question the validity of your statement, I could not help but notice you eyeing my employer in what one might call a… predatory manner.”   
  
“Oh, no, no, no.” Mal was now trying out his most charming smile, and Inara was trying very hard not to roll her eyes. “We’ve just had us some big misunderstanding. No we were looking  _beyond_ your employer there,” he nodded at the gentleman, now talking animatedly to a small man in a dirty apron, “in a, uh, predatory manner.”   
  
“Hmm.” The tall man nodded. “And yet, I did not actually mention under whose employ I was.”   
  
“Oh.” Mal blinked, caught, and Inara realized there was nothing else for it. She stepped forward.   
  
“It’s the way the locals conduct business around here.” She explained, ignoring Mal’s gestures at her to stop. “They’re nervous, so they pick a mark, someone who’s obvious, and slip the merchandise into their pocket. Then we come and… relieve them of it. No one gets hurt.”   
  
The tall man raised an eye. “And if a wallet also goes missing in the transaction, well then…”   
  
Mal tried his best to look affronted. “I would never!--“   
  
“--Shut up, Mal.” Inara sighed. “It’s true, people will take what they can. It’s the way of the world around here, unfortunately. I can only offer my assurance that we would never have hurt your employer. Now,” she squared her shoulders, “You would be well within your rights to call the authorities on us. I couldn’t really blame you.” Mal was spluttering behind her. “But please, you’ve stopped us, and if you let us go on our way, I promise you won’t see either of us again.”   
  
The tall man stood still, seemingly considering. Inara stepped back to Mal’s side and held her breath.   
  
“This wouldn’t be what you were wishing to acquire?” The man asked finally, “I had noticed a rather unsavoury character dispose of it in my employer’s coat pocket earlier.” And he pulled out the C-17 Nav stabilizer; hanging from a chain and glittering like the biggest payday they would have had in months.   
  
Mal gulped, “Yep. That’s it,” and even Inara quickly calculated the amount of food it would have bought.   
  
“Well, seeing as I have no real use for it…” The tall man held it towards them.   
  
“You’re serious?” Inara asked, surprised, even as Mal quickly stuffed it in his pocket. The tall man nodded, and a small smile briefly appeared on his face. “Your honesty, madam, makes a refreshing change in these parts of our travels.”   
  
Mal grinned. “Don’t know what I’d do with out her.”   
  
“I say, Jeeves!” All three turned, not having noticed the man in the bowler hat turn up behind them. “Are these more of the locals?” He leaned on his cane, “Fascinating people. You know that man just offered to buy my liver??”   
  
The tall man’s face was a mask of neutrality. “Indeed, sir?”   
  
“Yes, and at the price he was saying I was jolly well tempted to give it to him!” The man seemed to notice Inara then, and grinned, goggle-eyed. “Whatto!”   
  
“Er…” Unsure of how to respond, Inara settled on fixing him with her brightest smile. “Hello.”   
  
This time Mal elbowed her in the ribs.   
  
“Well, we should really be getting off.” Mal was inching away, clearly desperate for the whole affair to be over, and Inara had a sudden wicked idea.   
  
“Oh, I don’t know, we still have a few hours. Perhaps we could show these two around a little?”   
  
“Splendid!” The man offered Inara his arm and she took it, shooting Mal a triumphant look over her shoulder as they walked away.   
  
Mal stood, mouth gaping. The tall man smirked. “Quite the lady, is she, sir?” And he fell into step a few feet behind them. Mal sighed, “she is that,” and followed after. 


End file.
